Putting plans for a new city hall on hold, though it may seem like a step backward, is the right move for Lansing and the region.

The original plan did not provide for relocating the Lansing Police Department, 54A District Court or lockup facility currently housed in city hall because a new Ingham County jail proposal had not yet discounted Lansing as a location.

Now that it has – a new jail is being proposed to replace the current one in Mason – any opportunity to talk collaboration with Ingham County in Lansing is worth further exploration.

Lansing Mayor Andy Schor urging the city to slow down and do this right shows strength of leadership. If it bears fruit, Lansing only stands to gain.

“As of right now, we are still very interested in the proposal put forward … we just have to figure out how to get out of this building first,” Schor said.

Ongoing discussion with Ingham County looks like it may yield a shared space with consolidated lockup facilities and a district court adjacent to the Ingham County Circuit Court.

The benefits of such a partnership would be many, such as: Lower cost for taxpayers, increased security for downtown employees and convenience for those who utilize all of these facilities.

And additional conversations about the plan should not impact the decision to redevelop the current city hall building into a multi-use space including a second hotel.

CLOSE

Mayor Virg Bernero announced that Beitler Real Estate Services had been selected to redevelop the current building into a resort hotel, as well as transforming the former Lansing State Journal building into the new City Hall.
Julie Garcia/LSJ

Being strategic is a vital part of managing a city. It is essential to consider all options prior to making decisions, and this is what Schor is doing.

Ingham County Controller Tim Dolehanty is on board with the idea of combining space, noting benefits to court employees and to the general public.

The proposal to relocate the city lockup and 54A District Court to a location shared with Ingham County (adjacent to Veteran’s Memorial Courthouse) just makes sense.

The plan would be a win-win for Lansing; holding off on a new city hall is a small price to pay.

– an LSJ editorial

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The LSJ Editorial Board speaks for the LSJ as an institution. Editorials do not carry an individual byline because stances on issues are never decided by one person. Contact the board by emailing opinions@lsj.com.